1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device, and particularly to a semiconductor device sealed with a sealing resin and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Background Art
Semiconductor devices are generally configured such that a chip, a lead and the like are transfer-molded (transfer molding) with resin. An example of the semiconductor device includes a power semiconductor module used for a power converter and the like for controlling the electrical equipment such as a motor. In the power semiconductor module, an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) for controlling the current for supplying a load, a power semiconductor chip serving as a reflux diode, a substrate for insulation, a base board for cooling, and an electrode for application are transfer-molded with resin for modularization.
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-165281 discloses a mold resin sealing type power semiconductor device having a housing in which a power semiconductor chip and the like are sealed with mold resin. The power semiconductor chip is fixed by a solder layer to a heat sink within the housing having a side through which the first lead frame fixed to the heat sink protrudes to the outside. Furthermore, the second lead frame electrically connected to the power semiconductor chip via metal wiring protrudes through the side of the housing to the outside.
In transfer molding, a sealing resin is injected in the state where upper and lower dies are brought into contact with and hermetically sealed to each other under a high pressure. This requires accuracy in the dies in order to improve the airtightness of the upper and lower dies. However, it is difficult to set the dimensional tolerance of the components of the semiconductor device in contact with the upper and lower dies to fall within the range of the accuracy of the dies. Accordingly, the electrode of the semiconductor device is removed in the direction in which the electrode is not brought into contact with the upper and lower dies.
Also in the mold resin sealing type power semiconductor device disclosed in the above-mentioned document, the first and second lead frames protrude to the outside through the side of the housing sealed with mold resin. In the space for the first and second lead frames protruding through the side of this housing to the outside, other semiconductor devices and the like cannot be disposed. Accordingly, the space for the first and second lead frames protruding to the outside through the side of this housing serves as an electrode removing portion which corresponds to an unused area in which other semiconductor devices and the like cannot be disposed in the case where a plurality of semiconductor devices are arranged in parallel.